10 Sep ‘10

“There was no lack of material but it was just presented in such a lacklustre way.” Read on for the verdict on last night’s TV.

Alan Davies’ Teenage Revolution, Channel 4

“I had my doubt about some of this as television… but when Davies located Mr Shah and offered an apology he was confronting, with some honesty, the ugliness of much of the Eighties, and of being a boy.”Andrew Billen, The Times

“It’s not much of a narrative or spiritual journey to have made over an extremely tedious hour.”Lucy Mangan, The Guardian

“There was no lack of material but it was just presented in such a lacklustre way, almost as if Davies himself wondered if there was any need for another account of bad hairdos and bolshy behaviour.”Matt Baylis, Daily Express

“It was all pleasingly realistic.”Alice-Azania Jarvis, The Independent

Gareth Malone’s Extraordinary School for Boys, BBC2

“One never doubts Malone’s commitment to anything, but the programme itself seemed a little half-hearted, if not half-baked.”Andrew Billen, The Times

“With his latest venture, I fear his halo may be slipping… It’s an overextension of the Malone franchise that misunderstands his appeal and does him no favours.”Lucy Mangan, The Guardian

“Frankly, the sight of a group of 10-year-olds discussing the pros and cons of violent computer games made for a deeply boring finale.”Matt Baylis, Daily Express

“Very good, just like The Choir and Gareth Malone Goes to Glynbourne were very good. In fact, it’s almost exactly the same thing, just transported to a different setting… And he is just so very watchable.”Alice-Azania Jarvis, The Independent